Estate Planning - Willamette Elder Law

What is Estate Planning?

An estate plan, in it’s driest terms, is a collection of legal documents and related financial and other planning to address death and incapacity. Nearly every plan will include some combination of a power of attorney, an advance directive, and a will/trust. In special cases, the plan may also include a nomination of guardian/conservator or a declaration for mental health treatment.

But also, for all of us, an estate plan is more than documents built of cold dead words. It’s loving people deeply enough to look for the places they will be vulnerable without us and providing them with our forethought and presence to meet that vulnerability It’s also advocating for our future selves to maximize our autonomy and ensure that even when we can’t speak up or make a decision for, our voice is still guiding our care.

Who do we serve?

Three groups of people have very specific needs over and above traditional estate planning that Willamette Elder Law focuses on working with.

People who have loved ones with disabilities and other special needs who are, or may become, reliant on government benefits.
People who have chosen a family other than their biological or marital relatives who need to protect themselves and their families from problematic legal defaults.
Entrepreneurs, especially young or first-generation business owners, trying to leave a legacy to their children.

You can learn more about specific tools or situations at the links below:

Advanced Directives
Power of Attorney
Wills
Trusts
Nomination of Guardian/Conservator
Declarations of Mental Health Treatment
Special Needs Planning
Chosen Family Planning
Entrepreneur Planning

Our Process

Willamette Elder Law provides the elder law and estate planning legal services you need to empower your loved ones, ensure your self-determination, and secure your legacy. Whether you need help crafting an estate plan for yourself, support taking care of a loved one with diminishing capacity, or guidance through administering the final affairs of the dearly departed, Willamette Elder Law will compassionately provide the legal services you need.

Screening Call

Every Willamette Elder Law client relationship starts with a screening call. Our staff will gather some basic information about your situation and what you are hoping to accomplish. The purpose of this call is to figure out whether you want something we are equipped to help with and whether it seems likely we’ll be a good fit. If so, we’ll get you scheduled for your free consultation. If not, we’ll help you find someone with the right tools and/or who might be a better fit.

Free Consultation

The vast majority of potential clients will receive a free* 90 minute consultation to get a more detailed understanding of your situation and discuss exactly how we would be able to help you and what that specific process will look like. *Some matters are unlikely to result in more than a consultation, but still merit a conversation and legal advice. In these circumstances, your consult may be charged on an hourly basis with a 1 hour minimum.

Information Gathering

Once we decide to work together, we will ask you to provide the information necessary to complete the legal services you need. If you are comfortable online, this process will happen electronically, with minimal physical paperwork involved. If you prefer a more traditional approach, we can also manage this process on paper.

Legal Services

After you have provided the necessary information, we will complete the agreed legal services as discussed in your consultation. This may be a short term relationship for a single project or it may be an extended relationship over the course of many years to administer an ongoing legal process.

Willamette Elder Law provides insightful guidance in planning for your death and possible incapacity as well as compassionate assistance in meeting needs related to long term care, incapacity, and death of those you love.